1. I have to go in to jury duty again tomorrow. They didn't even do the juror selection process today, just picking people who might be selected, telling us about the case, and then telling us to come back tomorrow. D: But! Traffic wasn't bad getting down there or back, and I had a nice lunch while I was there (no thanks to the dire cafeteria in the courthouse, but there was a nice little restaurant in a neighboring building), and I read a lot. The book I'm reading went from 17% complete to 70%!
2. We were watchig youtube videos tonight and someone mentioned milkshakes, and I thought man, that sounds really good! And I actually had some cash, so when we took our walk tonight, we stopped in the former Foster Freeze around the corner and got shakes. :D
3. We use reusable shopping bags most of the time and so don't really have paper bags around much, so Jasper has never actually played in one until the other day, but he really loves it. (The girls seem happy to have a bag to play with, too, so I guess I'll be keeping one out all the time along with their assortment of cardboard boxes.)
I know this month has been kind of slow with releases, but work is really kicking my butt. ;_; I've got at least one more after this for sure, but hopefully next month will be better!
Anyway, today's release is a one-shot by Mizusawa Megumi. It was included in volume three of Tera Girl, but is a total stand-alone and can be read without having read Tera Girl.
Title: MMK Girl Original Title: MMKガール (MMK Girl) Author: Mizusawa Megumi Publisher: Ribon Mascot Comics Genre: Shoujo Status in Japan: One-shot Scanlator:Megchan's Scanlations feat. Migeru Scanlation Status: Complete More Info:Baka Updates
Summary: Rikako has boys falling over her left and right, but the only boy she has eyes for is so devoted to his girlfriend he won't even call Rika by her given name. Is there anything she can do to win his heart?
The male Sea Otter pup being cared for at the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre is now four months old. The fuzzy pup, named Hardy, was rescued after concerned members of the public found him swimming alone in open water off northern Vancouver Island back in June.
Since his rescue, staff and volunteers have spent shifts feeding, bathing and grooming the pup. Hardy recently began honing his swimming and diving techniques, and he can’t seem to get enough of practicing his new skills!
Since his arrival, the aquarium has anticipated an appropriate time to introduce the orphan to the rest of the Otters housed at the facility. Hardy was recently introduced to Vancouver Aquarium’s 13-year-old rescued female Sea Otter, Tanu, and she just may prove to be a valuable foster mom for the young pup.
Kristi Heffron, Senior Marine Mammal Trainer, shared, “It took Hardy a moment or two to realize that Tanu had joined him in the Finning Habitat. Then, Tanu went to Hardy and put him on her chest, just like a mother would do to her pup. After a little while, we saw them both swimming, grooming, and eating independently. They’re quite comfortable together.”
ZooBorns introduced the Otter pup to readers back in June when he was first rescued. At that time, Lindsaye Akhurst, Manager of the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, which is presented by Port Metro Vancouver, made a statement concerning the rescue: “Sea Otters have high energetic needs; after birth they spend about six months with mom, nursing, being groomed by her and learning to forage and be a Sea Otter, so this little guy is still a fully dependent pup. He would not survive on his own, and we’re providing him with the care he needs right now.”
According to the report provided to the Rescue Centre, boaters collected the Sea Otter pup after it approached and then followed their boat while vocalizing. There were no adult Sea Otters in sight. Once in Port Hardy, officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) arranged for the transfer to the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. Although well intentioned, both DFO officials and Rescue Centre personnel say the distressed animal should have been reported first rather than taken from the ocean. “Once they’re removed from the wild it’s impossible to determine if the mother is alive and if they could have been reunited, or if bringing him in was the appropriate action,” said Akhurst.
Paul Cottrell, Marine Mammals Coordinator, Pacific Region, DFO, reminds the public that touching or capturing wild marine mammals is illegal. Decisions about the pup’s future will be made by DFO.
Once extinct from Canada, the Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) has successfully been reintroduced to British Columbia, and mainly lives off Vancouver Island. Subsequent population growth and range expansion enabled the Government of Canada to change the listing of the species from “Threatened” to “Special Concern” in 2009, as recommended by COSEWIC.
Major causes of death among Sea Otters are lack of food, predators and environmental contamination. A recent study, conducted by researchers from UC Santa Cruz, U.S. Geological Survey and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, found the energetic cost of rearing Sea Otter pups could also be leading to higher mortality rates in adult females, and more incidents of pup abandonment.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre, a hospital for sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals, is the only one of its kind in Canada. Under authorization from DFO, the team rescues, rehabilitates and releases more than 100 animals each year; in 2016, they rescued more than 170 animals. For every patient, the goal is to treat, rehabilitate and return it to the wild as soon as possible. The veterinary team provides medical treatment to Harbor Seals, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Sea Turtles, Elephant Seals, Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises.
The Vancouver Aquarium would like to remind the public, if you see a stranded marine mammal, do not approach it and keep domestic pets away. Call the Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Centre at 604.258.SEAL (7325) for immediate assistance.
To report abandoned or injured wildlife in the United States, contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at: 1.844.397.8477
*The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, accredited institution and does not receive ongoing funds to provide around-the-clock care for its rescued and rehabilitated animals. To make a contribution for the care of this Sea Otter pup, please visit support.ocean.org/rescuedotter.
Ahhahahahahaha, XKCD nailed it. That was totally me during the house buying process. XD
I am having a not splendid start to the week - was sickly all weekend (vague aches and pains, sleeping too much, and a round of "my stomach and intestines hate me" saturday night) which resulted in not doing a lot of the things I wanted to do, like unpack and mow the yard. Bleagh.
Woke up this morning at 1am with unidentified "something is wrong" which morphed into "fuck, sinus migraine headache from HELL" once I was awake enough to figure out where the pain was. Got to work, by which point my eyes were watering from the internal pressure in my head, but couldn't take anything because they were supposed to do a fasting blood draw on me this morning. So I put up with the pain, drink all the water, go in... and they can barely get half a vial out of me because I'm freezing cold. So I got stuck with a needle for no reason, and had to reschedule for friday, and NOW I finally get to take the sinus meds and drink the coffee to try to get this headache under control. Argh. GRRR.
On the upside, I still managed to make words on the morning train commute, so go me! But omg I just want to crawl back into bed and not move. >_<
"Oria is tied up with the smiths overseeing the new cannons," Moira confessed, "and I would have just sent a message but I thought this deserved a personal delivery." So saying, she produced a small rectangular wooden box from the pocket of her skirt, presenting it to Anduin with a flourish.
Anduin's breath caught in his lungs and he had to deliberately draw in another one before he reached out to take the box, setting it on his knee as he lifted the lid away. Inside, the interior was lined in royal blue satin, and nestled into it were two rings, polished and gleaming, straight from Ironforge's best jewelers. ( Read more... )
Alignment: True Neutral A true neutral character does what seems to be a good idea. He doesn't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most true neutral characters exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a character thinks of good as better than evil after all, he would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, he's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some true neutral characters, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run. True neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you act naturally, without prejudice or compulsion. However, true neutral can be a dangerous alignment when it represents apathy, indifference, and a lack of conviction.
Race: Elves are known for their poetry, song, and magical arts, but when danger threatens they show great skill with weapons and strategy. Elves can live to be over 700 years old and, by human standards, are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. Elves are slim and stand 4.5 to 5.5 feet tall. They have no facial or body hair, prefer comfortable clothes, and possess unearthly grace. Many others races find them hauntingly beautiful.
Class: Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells, everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar- a small, magical, animal companion that serves her. With a high Intelligence, wizards are capable of casting very high levels of spells.
1. I actually got to sleep in this morning and didn't have to go in to work until around noon! I was so worried I was going to get called in for something or other, but thankfully no.
2. I have jury duty tomorrow. Bleh. But on the plus side, I did the online orientation, so I don't have to be there until 9:30am instead of the usual 7:30 or something ridiculous.
3. It was supposed to get hot again this weekend and into the week, but although it did get a little warmer, it's not really hot, and the humidity is low, so it's pretty nice.
1. Welp, I ended up having to go in at 8:30 this morning, and I had to be there at night, too, because our weekend closing stocker is on vacation, and it was super busy, but thankfully I was able to come home for a couple hours mid-afternoon and have lunch and rest for a bit. I'm always glad to live so close to work, but at times like this, especially so.
1. Ridiculously hectic day today, almost twelve hours at work. But this weekend shouldn't be too bad. The worst today was mostly because there were a lot of big deliveries thanks to everyone not ordering stuff before inventory and ordering it all now.
2. We had grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. So tasty. It's probably been years since I had one, as I usually opt for quesadillas instead, but Carla brought home some sourdough yesterday and that turned out to be really just perfect for grilled cheese.
3. I love this picture of Molly. Spotted her through the front window and she's totally got this "caught in the act" look on her face.
End of the Love is in the Air festival fic, continued from part 1 and part 2.
Twenty-eight bracelets. By the end of the week there were twenty-eight of the things, all laid neatly in a carven wood box with velvet lining that had taken up residence in a drawer in Anduin's office. His mates were, no doubt, looking forward to seeing their last efforts on him that evenings; Ren had remarked that it was a good look, and he hoped Anduin might occasionally continue wearing them after the festival.
It was the last evening of the festival, the flower and sweet sellers finally closing up shop and taking stock of their sales. The festival merchants were taking down the temporary stalls set up in the market squares. And the King of Stormwind had, through much arranging, several hours of free time without interruption, a spool of gold jewelry wire, and a set of the small tools that the festival merchants had been happily selling all week. ( Read more... )
What are you currently reading? I'm about a third of the way through on Satan: A Biography and enjoying it so far.
I've been finding it hard to make progress on Meddling Kids, though, as despite being really excited by the premise, the book itself is kind of disappointing so far. The writing itself is not great, and the story is not making up for it. I'm hoping it'll get better as it goes along, though.
I also started Beezus and Ramona and am about a third of the way through that, too. I downloaded all the Ramona ebooks a couple years ago to do a reread and then never did, but then iTunes was updated the other day to remove ebooks and apps from the interface, and when I finally figured out how to add ebooks to my phone the new way, I tested it with this book, and then since I wasn't feeling Meddling Kids, just started reading it.
What did you recently finish reading? Volumes two through five of Giant Days, as well as a bunch of single issues after that (I still have a handful of issues to read before being completely caught up, and then I will be sad because I love this series so much).
What do you think you'll read next? The rest of Giant Days, for sure, and also volume 10 of You Will Hear the Voice of the Dead came out the other day and I'd already preordered it so it's on my ipad awaiting me.
The Little Rock Zoo recently announced the arrival of two Pygmy Slow Loris babies to their family.
Born in August, the tiny male and female primates are healthy and active in their exhibit. They have been given the names Apollo and Artemis and were born to 3-year-old mom, Mihn Yih, and 7-year-old dad, Frasier.
The new births are part of a Species Survival Plan by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. There are currently only 56 Pygmy Slow Lorises in human care in AZA zoos, including the four at the Little Rock Zoo.
"Our work in the field of conservation is one of the most important roles we have as an AZA-accredited zoo," said Director Susan Altrui. "To have not one but two babies born here is significant not just for us but for the future of this vulnerable species."
Apollo and Artemis were born three days prior to the calculated due date the Zoo's keepers had determined based on observation. So far, first-time mom, Mihn Yih, has been an attentive mother. As she works to gather food, she is careful that she is never too far from where the two siblings are “parked” on branches. As they get older, she will leave them for longer periods of time, until they are ready to be on their own.
Photo Credits: Karen Caster
The Pygmy Slow Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) is a species found east of the Mekong River in Vietnam, Laos, eastern Cambodia, and China. It occurs in a variety of forest habitats, including tropical dry forests, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests.
The animal is nocturnal and arboreal, crawling along branches using slow movements in search of prey. Unlike other primates, it does not leap. It lives in small groups with one or two offspring. An adult can grow to around 19 to 23 cm (7.5 to 9.1 in) long and has a very short tail, and it reaches a max weight of about 450 g (1.0 lb). Their diet consists of fruits, insects, small fauna, tree sap, and floral nectar.
I should start titling these. And I was going to finish up the charm bracelet prank, but Brewfest started last night, and the headcanon for Brewfest just sort of unfolded along the way, so here's the start of THAT, and I'll get back to the charm bracelet and the wedding and all that soon. It's all Pandaren and Anduin all the time anyways, I'm just scene jumping! =P
Oria is another original character, btw - part of the Wildhammer clan, she was the first foreign ambassador Anduin appointed to his council and paved the way for including one ambassador from each of the Alliance races to balance out the otherwise overwhelmingly human-centric House of Nobles. Oria has it in her contract with Anduin that she is exempt from all council meetings during the two-week duration of Brewfest. For "traditional cultural festivities" (and the attendant hangovers).
The dwarf caught at Anduin's sleeve, his brows drawn down in a dark frown. "Not so fast, lad," he huffed. "It ain't just th' wee ones that need t' prove they can sit a saddle before they go takin' my rams anywhere."
Something flickered across Anduin's face, there and gone again so fast it was easy to miss, before smoothing into the polite facade that was most often presented to the House of Nobles. "Of course," he agreed.
At Ren's elbow, Oria made a pained noise. "Oh no," she groaned, shoving her tankard aside and making to rise to her feet. "He must not recognize..."
"Leave it," Ren advised, pressing a hand to her shoulder to push her back into her seat. "Anduin will handle it." ( Read more... )
1. I had to go in to work earlier than I'd hoped, which meant I didn't get much sleep, but I did manage to get out of there by midafternoon, so that was good. And I have tomorrow off.
2. Carla arrived back safe and sound tonight.
3. We watched last week's Rick and Morty, which I hadn't seen yet because Carla was out of town and I was too lazy to watch it on my own. It was pretty good, but not as awesome as the week before or Pickle Rick.
A 9-week-old Sumatran Tiger cub was introduced to a 7-week-old Bengal Tiger cub at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Ione and Paul Harter Animal Care Center on September 11.
The Sumatran Tiger cub arrived from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and was introduced to the Bengal Tiger cub, currently residing at the Safari Park.
The Sumatran Tiger cub was born at the National Zoo on July 11 and was rejected by its mother a short time later. After numerous attempts to keep the mother and cub together, the animal care team decided it was in the cub’s best interest to separate them.
The Bengal Tiger cub was confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on August 23 during a vehicle inspection at the U.S./Mexico border. His story attracted worldwide media attention. Back in early September, ZooBorns introduced readers to the little cub and how he became a resident of the Safari Park: “Confiscated Tiger Cub Finds Refuge at San Diego Safari Park”
Both the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the National Zoo are members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and in a collaborative effort, both zoos’ animal care teams determined the best solution for the well-being of the two cubs would be for them to become companions.
The cubs took to each other immediately, and interacted by wrestling, jumping and engaging in a lot of friendly roughhousing—things tiger cubs do.
Park staff explained how they are able to differentiate between the two tigers. Although Sumatran Tigers, in general, are the smallest subspecies of tiger, the opposite is currently the case with the two cubs. The Safari Park’s Sumatran cub is currently the larger and darker colored of the pair, however, it won’t be long before his new companion is larger.
Guests at the Safari Park can now see them through the nursery window at the Animal Care Center during Safari Park operating hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Title: Musume no Iede Original Title: 娘の家出 (Musume no Iede) Author: Shimura Takako Publisher: Jump X Genre: Seinen Status in Japan: 6 volumes, complete Scanlator:Megchan's Scanlations + muge Scanlation Status: Ongoing More Info:Baka Updates
Summary: When Mayuko's mom announces she's getting remarried, Mayuko runs away to live with her dad and his boyfriend. This heartwarming slice-of-life series follows Mayuko and her family and friends as their stories interweave.
Chapter Summary: A girl named Ako has a crush on the single father of her little brother's preschool classmates. But after planning a birthday party for her brother just so she can see this guy, he ends up unable to make it due to work and sends his sister, Niina, instead.
It was late into the audience hours when the royal Consort and his cousin unexpectedly turned up in line.
Anduin almost had to look twice when their names - sans title or any other fanfaire - were called, the surprise making him slow. They were both of them in travel clothes, leathers worn smooth and supple, ragged and stained, the sort of clothes for hunting, fishing, and sleeping out on the road. They had obviously been out somewhere; Elwynn forest, Anduin suspected, part of Hardwire's ongoing campaign to train Ren back into some semblance of fitness after the birth of the babes. There was dirt and what looked like fresh blood stains on their clothes, and there would probably be venison or roast boar on the dinner table.
Dirty and disheveled, and Ren, at least, was visibly tired, and both with small gift boxes in hand and the most shit-eating grins Anduin had ever seen. He didn't, in that moment, know whether to kiss them or box their ears. ( Read more... )
1. I was at work from 9am to after 2am, but inventory is over and I don't have to think about it for another six months. Also unless I get an emergency call or something tomorrow morning, I'm planning on only going in for a few hours in the afternoon to do my ordering and anything else that urgently needs to get done.
2. I walked in to see Chloe being super cute on the couch.
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